Physiotherapy device for improving muscular coordination



1963 J. H. CUNNINGHAM 3,075,769

PHYSIOTHERAPY DEVICE FOR IMPROVING MUSCULAR COORDINATION I Filed Feb. 2, 1959 INVENTOR J.H. CUNNINGHAM I It .I 5y

I ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiiice 3,@?5,?9 Patented Jan. 2%, 1963 3,075,769 PHYSIOTHERAPY DEVHJE FGR EMPRGVIN G MUSQULAR CGQRDHNATKGN John H. Cunningham, 70S Brookwood Road, Baltimore, Md.

Filed Feb. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 790,452 3 (Iiahns. (fil. 273-96) This invention relates to the exercise or use and development of the muscles of the body including the rehabilitation thereof and to devices or equipment by which such exercise or use and development can be encouraged and extended.

The invention also relates to devices for promoting exercise of the muscles which will interest and amuse sufiiciently to occupy the attention and promote the mental and physical well being of the individual, either alone or in the company of others.

It is an object of the invention to provide a physiotherapy device which, in addition to affording exercise and improving muscular coordination will interest and retain the attention of the user and consequently can be beneficially used by persons needing exercise, muscular development and training and rehabilitation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of relatively simple and inexpensive character and by means of which a ball may be projected and with back spin that it will cause it to rebound or bounce toward the projector in which it may be caught and reprojected and thus interest the user sufiiciently to cause its continued use for a substantial period of time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention with parts broken away;

FIG. 2, a side elevation with the parts in position which they occupy immediately after a ball has been projected;

FIG. 3, atop plan view; and

FIGS. 4 and 5, sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of IGS. 3 and 1, respectively.

riefiy stated, the invention comprises a pair of spaced handle members connected near one end by a pair of links, the one nearer the center of the handle members being sli htly shorter than the other and with spring means tending to maintain the handle members extended endwise relative to each other and with a stop for limiting such movement, such handle members being movable in the opposite direction against the action of the spring by the pressure of the hand and with a stop on one of the handles adjacent the free or unconnected end of the handle for engagement by the other handle when it is in its rearmost and lowermost position. The two handles are adapted to be gripped in the hand which will cause relative endwise movement between the handles with their free ends moving toward each other which causes the ejection or discharge of a ball from between the handles and with a back spin, such ball being for example a ping pong or other ball, the surfaces between which the ball is disposed prior to ejection being inclined with their narrow portion rearmost and their wide portion foremost so that upon the application of sufficient force the ball will be moved from the relatively inclined portions of the handle and discharged from the device.

With continued reference to the drawings a pair of elongated handle members and 11 are provided between which a ball 12, which may be like or that is used in Ping-pong, is adapted to be gripped and forcibly exelled or ejected. The elongated handle members 10 and 11 may be of transparent plastic or other material and U-shaped in cross-section for strength. Also they may have their backs or outer portions inwardly curved so that they may be easily gripped.

The handle members are connected by means of links 13 and 14 having openings 15, 16, 17 and 18 in the end portions thereof in which resilient sleeves 19 are disposed and in which are received rivets 20 and 21 or other fasteners which extend through the handle members and the heads of which are located on the remote surfaces thereof. The rivets 21 are slightly longer than the rivets 19 due to the fact that the handle member 10 is slightly broader or thicker than the handle member 11.

The links 13 and 14 are provided with centering sleeves 13 and 14' the link 13 being slightly shorter than the link 14, consequently, when such links swing about the pivots 21 in the handle member 10 the extremity of the shorter link will describe a smaller circle than that of the longer link with the result that the remote or free end of the handle member 11 will move towards the handle member 10. The extremities of the handle members adjacent the longer link are provided with rivets 2t) and 21 and a connecting spring 23 which tends to force the handle member 11 endwise in a direction opposite that of the handle member 10 due to the fact that the extremity of the handle member 11 is beyond that of the handle member 19. In order to limit such endwise movement one of the levers, for example the shorter lever 13, may be provided with an abutment 24 for engagement with a suitable stop such as an adjusting screw 25 threaded through an inset wall 26 of the central portion of the handle member 16.

The free end of the handle member 11 is enlarged and a pair of cross webs 27 and 28 are provided to form a generally rectangular receptacle for a friction cushion 29 which engages the ball 12 so that when the ba'l is released the friction of the cushion on the ball will impart rotation thereto. The cross member 28 has a curved end 34) to allow the ball to pass in its discharge from the device. The lower handle member 10 is provided with a stop 31 having an inclined upper extremi'y 32 so that when the ball is ejected the cushion 29 will engage the stop 32, and if it has become slightly displaced from the space in which it is held, it will be forced into such space by such stop.

The end of the handle member 16 is provided with a curved end portion 33 having a curved edge 34, such curved end portion facilitating the scooping or catching of the ba l on its rebound due to the back soin put on the ball by the ftiction of the cushion. In order to add strength and reduce the amount of contact and friction between the lower handle member and the ball a holder 35 is located at the junction of the handle member it) and the scoop portion 33. This holder is trough or V- shaped and of such substance and of such design with the necessary space between the sides to accommodate both the size and character of its surface and of a length to engage the ball with the proper resistance relative to the reverse rotation friction pad that the ball will be discharged substantially in a straight line and the desired back spin will be imparted thereto.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a device is provided by which therapeutic treatment can be given the hand of the user and affording exercise and developing the muscles and improving muscular coordination. Also the device is of such character it will attract and hold the attention and cause it to be used to promote not only the physical but the mental well being of the individual, and it can be used by one person or by each of a group.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for administering therapeutic treatment and for attracting and retaining the attention and interest of the user comprising a pair of elongated handle members having inwardly curved gripping portions, spaced links connecting said members near one end thereof, the link nearer the center of said members being shorter than the other so that when such handle members are moved relative to each other the free ends will move toward each other, spring means tending to urge said handle members relatively lengthwise, stop means for limiting such movement, a holder for a ball attached to one of said handle members near the fore end thereof, a holder for a frictional cushion on the corresponding end of the other handle member whereby when said handle members are gripped and forced together said ball will be expelled with said cushion imparting a back spin, and a stop on the first of said handle members opposite the holder on the other handle member.

2. A device for administering therapeutic treatment and for attracting and obtaining the attention and interest in so doing comprising an elongated handle member terminating at one end in a curved scoop, a rearwardly extending member mounting said scoop, a stop at the rear of said scoop against which a ball is adapted to engage, an elongated ejection lever having an end portion disposed angularly above said step and adapted to engage and exert pressure on a ball to cause it to be ejected from between said lever and said scoop, a friction cushion carried at the inclined end of said lever for frictional engagement with said ball, a pair of spaced links pivotally connecting said rearwardly extending member and said elongated ejection lever, one of said links being shorter than the other whereby when the elongated ejection lever is moved relative to said rearwardly extending member the inclined portion of said ejection lever will be moved toward said rearwardly extending member, and spring means urging said ejection lever forwardly of said handle and scoop.

3. A device of the character described comprising the combination of an elongated handle having a curved scoop in one end, a ball holder in said scoop, a stop in the rear portion of said scoop against which said ball is adapted to engage, an elongated ejection lever having an end portion disposed angularly lengthwise of said handle above said stop and adapted to engage and exert pressure on a ball in said holder to cause it to be ejected from between said lever and scoop, spaced links pivoted independently at their opposite ends transversely of said han dle and elongated ejection lever, one of said links being shorter than the other whereby when the elongated ejection lever is moved relative to said scoop the inclined portion of said ejection lever will be moved toward said handle and cause the ejection of a ball with reverse r0 tation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DEVICE FOR ADMINISTERING THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT AND FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE ATTENTION AND INTEREST OF THE USER COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED HANDLE MEMBERS HAVING INWARDLY CURVED GRIPPING PORTIONS, SPACED LINKS CONNECTING SAID MEMBERS NEAR ONE END THEREOF, THE LINK NEARER THE CENTER OF SAID MEMBERS BEING SHORTER THAN THE OTHER SO THAT WHEN SUCH HANDLE MEMBERS ARE MOVED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER THE FREE ENDS WILL MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER, SPRING MEANS TENDING TO URGE SAID HANDLE MEMBERS RELATIVELY LENGTHWISE, STOP MEANS FOR LIMITING SUCH MOVEMENT, A HOLDER FOR A BALL ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID HANDLE MEMBERS NEAR THE FORE END THEREOF, A HOLDER FOR A FRICTIONAL CUSHION ON THE CORRESPONDING END OF THE OTHER HANDLE MEMBER WHEREBY WHEN SAID HANDLE MEMBERS ARE GRIPPED AND FORCED TOGETHER SAID BALL WILL BE EXPELLED WITH SAID CUSHION IMPARTING A BACK SPIN, AND A STOP ON THE FIRST OF SAID HANDLE MEMBERS OPPOSITE THE HOLDER ON THE OTHER HANDLE MEMBER. 